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Friday, 30 November 2012

Apologies for the weekend dodgy photography - it was too rainy to venture outside! This is me, standing in the corner of our study which we're yet to furnish...thinking a great Danish shelving unit or maybe just a good chest with lots of drawers so we can store our bedding?

Anyway, this is about my new jumper. It's from GAP and it's in the sale. I LOVE IT. I bought it a size too big so it feels boyfriend-y and has a good length (in fact, the perfect length to pair with leather trousers as no one wants to show the top area of a tight leather pant). It's super soft, washes well and I think I have worn it almost everyday that it hasn't been in the washing machine.Contemplating buying it in navy and grey, too.

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

I love neon signs, when we went to Las Vegas earlier this year, I made sure we visited the Neon Boneyard (now known as the Neon Museum)in Downtown Vegas (if you are planning a trip, you MUST go) - it is where all the old neon signs from the Vegas we reminisce about - the original Ceasar's Palce sign, Stardust (as above) as well as the sign from The Desert Inn, the Hotel which tried to evict Howard Hughes after he overstayed his welcome. His response? He bought the Hotel.

I am thrilled to see that Neon signs are now becoming a cool interiors craze - I love the idea of owning my own neon sign with a special phrase - but what to write?

Looking for a large sign for an event or wedding? Prop stylist Hannah Read Baldrey of Couture Craft Blog told me about the website Vowed & Amazed where you can hire giant letters or the word 'Love' for an event! Much less hassle and you don't have to worry about where to store the letters afterwards!

Monday, 26 November 2012

When I was asked to do a Guest Edit on Kabiri online, one of my favourite jewellers, I jumped at the chance. As a stylist, Kabiri is a great boutique to find new designers and last minute jewellery for shoots...plus they also stock some of my favourite designers: Ginette NY and Vanryke.

I was recently talked through the collections by Nathalie Kabiri herself, and found her so inspiring. My favourite quote from her was that 'Boring jewellery doesn't sell for us'. It has to have an edge, a quality that means it can't be easily copied on the High Street. I was also shocked to learn how ear cuffs were a huge seller - I've still not caught onto that trend, obviously!

The website has also recently had a facelift and is looking great. However, if you are ever in town, you should definitely check out their stores. There is one on Kings Road and on Marylebone High Street - both perfect locations for a day out with a spot of lunch and not too crowded this close to Christmas!

Friday, 23 November 2012

I admit it,
I've never been to the ballet and never really been into dancing but
something has come over me lately. Last christmas, I watched 'Darcey
Bussell Dances Hollywood' on the BBC, where Darcey danced all the major
dances from the musicals such as 'Good morning' from 'Singing In The
Rain' in one sequence, without stopping (see it on Youtube here)and
I was transfixed! Obviously trained as a ballerina, I was amazed how
she could transfer her skills and perform this impressive tap dance,
without breaking into a sweat!

When
I had the opportunity to meet her in September (only a few days after
the 'Strictly Come Dancing' couples were announced - and right in the
middle of London Fashion Week for me), I was thrilled to find she was as
charismatic and charming as she comes across on screen. And I had a few
jealous friends who have had the lucky chance to see her in the
ballet...

Although we did also photograph her in a gorgeous sequin Burberry dress, we chose to use this shot (which I love) in a masculine tuxedo from Hoss Intropia with a felt top hat from James Lock.

Monday, 19 November 2012

We have finally finished re-upholstering our chair. We found it on Gumtree for free back in May last year, we just had to collect it from Battersea and we were so excited! It was exactly the style we wanted, however, it had been poorly looked after...Horrible red silk had been staple gunned all over the frame and foam and we pretty much had to pull them out by hand, sand it down and start from scratch.

I bought some foam for the cushions and we paid to have it upholstered, costing us roughly £80 overall. But now it has finished off our little reading corner - by the books and next to the cd player where we can sit and stare out of the window and daydream...

Before...sorry I don't have any photos of the awful red silk!

After...we obviously went for grey fabric...! Found it in the remnants bin in John Lewis, £12 for almost 2 metres rather than £25 a metre.

Blankets are a great way to keep warm after the heating has clicked off timer, I love nothing more than curling up on my chair with a blanket over my lap. This blanket is from Seasalt, a company in Cornwall, and I think it looks rather Scandinavian, don't you think?

Sunday, 18 November 2012

A few years ago, my partner and I had just started living together and we were burgled. And we weren't insured. Luckily for us,having no insurance made us realise that we didn't really have anything worthwhile insuring (the burglars didn't even bother leaving with much!): a rented flat with borrowed/temporary furniture and no 'stuff'.Now we've bought our own place, we've accumulated proper, grown-up's furniture and have a stand-alone computer - not just a crappy old laptop we'd work on in front of the TV. Home insurance isn't just a luxury, it's become a necessity. And it's not cheap. Suddenly I'm one of those people who has started to compare home insurance.

It's become a huge part of everyday life now, and the luxury of the internet has meant we can all spend a bit more time getting the right deal for us. I was gutted when I finally opened a Lovefilm account and the following week found that Vouchercodes were giving away £20 M&S vouchers when you started! So my advice (if you want it!) would be to spend a little time finding the best deal possible and you will not only have peace of mind, but your bank account will thank you too.

Saturday, 17 November 2012

Shoes, were £60, now £30, from Office. A bit like the Chloe boots we've seen so much of, but in shoe form. They feel like an updated version of my New Look studded brogues. Let's face it: I love a sturdy flat and a stud.

Friday, 16 November 2012

A few weekends ago, I visited Birmingham to see some university friends. We studied for 3 years here and loved every minute of it. Birmingham often gets a bad reputation, but I love it. This photo was taken outside the magnificent Selfridges in the Bullring Shopping centre, the exterior was based on the sequins of a Paco Rabanne dress! Every single shop under the sun is here and I always make sure I stop by the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (which is free admission) to get some inspiration.

Ever on a budget, we booked our tickets through Red Spotted Hanky, which I love as it's fuss-free with no admin or delivery charges - we managed to get a return train ticket for £12 each. We stayed in a Pod Hotel called Nite Nite, which is basically a bed, plasma screen and bathroom - it's really clean and if you're only staying one night, it's definitely worth it - we both stayed for £42 between us.

In the Pod room!

When staying warm is top priority, make sure you wear a statement jumper to fight the dreary weather:

Sunday, 11 November 2012

Stuck for cool Christmas present ideas? how about something from my favourite collaboration this season: Markus Lupfer for Whistles. Yes, he of the quirky sweaters has designed an exclusive range for the High Street store - and it's gorgeous. My favourites are the heart motif accessories...and you don't have to wait ages -it's available to buy now!

Friday, 9 November 2012

I have been working on the study for quite a while, back when we first started painting it last christmas. It has finally started to come together and now we are just adding the finishing touches. It's quite a small room so it's really important to make use of storage and not clutter the room too much. Here's how we're doing so far:

As I have a full-time job as well as this blog, I spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, as you can imagine. A few of you might have noticed a while ago I started out with a basic living room at my desk - this soon changed as I began to use the computer more and more. Needless to say, working on a plastic chair did nothing for my back! So I have invested in a Herman Miller Aeron chair: ergonomically designed (trust me, it is the most comfortable desk chair I have EVER sat in), built to last, and most importantly (for me, anyway): chic, if you care about your back at all this is the best investment you could make. The company spend time with you finding a chair tailored to your needs and on hand to demonstrate how it works. I have to be honest, I have not quite got the hang of all the functions (there are a lot of fun looking levers) but it has changed the way I work and I have never looked back.